Ok, from the "what the hell?" files a few days ago Dr. Pepper who spent much of the 1970's asking folks if they'd like to "be a pepper too" (hey, where is David Naughton anyway?) has decided that we've all been waiting to damn long for Guns N Roses 12 years in the making album "Chinese Democracy."To wit, the following press release:

March 26, 2008 -- TIRED of a world in which Americans idolize wannabe singers, and where musicals about high school students pass as rock 'n' roll, Dr Pepper is begging Axl Rose to finally release this year his 17-years-in-the-making album, "Chinese Democracy." The soft drink company's incentive to Axl, the frontman of Guns N' Roses? If he ships the album in 2008, everyone in America - except estranged guitarists Slash and Buckethead - will receive a free can of Dr Pepper. "It took a little patience for us to perfect Dr Pepper's special mix of 23 ingredients, so we completely understand and empathize with Axl's question for the perfect album," said a company spokesperson. Dr Pepper is asking fans to lobby Axl to drop the album already.

The Texas based duo The Mars Volta will bring their 3 hour long set filled with their 7-11 minute maelstroms of chewy indie-prog rock goodness including tracks from their recently released fourth album Bedlam In Goliath to the Agora Theatre on Saturday, May 14.

OK,. actually it's only the guitarist but according to the Associated Press:

*Jay Jay French, the guitarist for 80s hair band Twisted Sister, has rerecorded the heavy metal band's anthem "I Wanna Rock" to say "I Want Barack." French said the Democratic presidential candidate has energized a new generation of voters who previously felt left out of politics. "He has excited so many people," French told the AP. "He has given sincere hope to people who have been out of the arena for years." French said an accompanying video will soon be released on YouTube.

Alright, that's a pretty good Iggy/Stooges singing Madonna's Burnin' Up and stumbling through "Ray of Light"...Yeah, it's heresy for some fans (of both artists), but a few minutes ago The Stooges were surrounded by dead-eyed waifs wearing Versace!

So muy question of how they'd cover the dead spots has been answered.Classic clips from the early days when the room was filled with classic rock legends.

Hey Look it's Mick Jagger and Beach Boy Mike Love on the same stage. I might be mistaken but this all-star jam might be the same ceremony that Love bassically called Mick Jagger a wuss.This is quite the all star jam Springsteen, Beach boys, Ben King, Jeff Lynne, somebody in a cowboy hat, Dylan, John Fogerty, someone who looks like Udo Kier.

You know with the live simulcast I'm assuming that VH-1/The Rock Hall think they've got this show down to a science. Having been to both the actual ceremony and the simulcast at the Rock Hall (back when VH-1 would take a few days to whittle the whole shebang down to two hours) I can tell ya it's a loooooong night and there are usually looooooooong pauses in the action.

Let's hear it for Jerry Butler not wasting any time and getting G&H on stage. I like this pace.

Watch out everybody Patti Labelle's gonna take If You Don't Know Me By Now and blow the roof off the dump!

Say, anyone notice that Jann Wenner's openign speech seemed to be a bit of a...um...explanation of the hall's ways and means...Perhaps someone is whispering in his ear about some of the recnt nominees/inductees and how they are being perceived by the folks the Rock Hall Foundation wants to go to the museum.